Seeing Green in the Red Light District

Seeing
Green in the Red Light District

There are more than a handful of lambent
lights with different colors when you breeze through this side of Netherlands: the
Red Light District in
Amsterdam. It’s not the Las Vegas or the Macau type of lights,
where all lights are blinding, or the ones that you can find in Shibuya, where
all lights are anything but red. One thing is for sure - no matter how ready or
experienced you are when it comes to these kinds of districts, the Red Light
District in Amsterdam can make you feel green every time you set foot at this
place.

Yes, all guys, young and old, this one’s for
you.

Contrary to what we probably assume it will
be, the Red Light District is far from being too one dimensional, too red, too porn-like.
It may seem like a macho preference, but it has actually transformed itself
into a cultural highlight more than anything else. From brothels, to sex shops, to sex museums, everything
here in the Red Light District leaves almost nothing to the imagination. Every
piece of view makes you feel like a young, inexperienced, green folk, with so
much to “discover”. You’ll see different kinds of substantially beautiful
women, of all nationalities, flaunting their goods in red-fringed windows,
eager to offer some red hot stuff in their private cabins. You’ll see gangs of
guys. You’ll see minor boys acting like experienced adults, even when their
eyes of shock give them away. You’ll see couples holding hands, signaling new
ideas for their next role-plays in private. You’ll see groups of women, sharing
truckloads of taunts, and you’ll see a whole lot of Asian tourists eager to be
un-greened in the Red Light district.

This kind of place is often illegal,
dangerous, dirty, or even a taboo in other parts of the world, so to have it
paraded here is indeed an eye opener. It feels scandalous, shocking, or
even scary for some. It feels liberating for others. But, to see that it’s made
with such taste and artful exposition is proof that it deserves a visit.

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Bowdy is an amateur adventurer, a coffee sleepyhead, and a start-up rooter, with a penchant for classic-looking photos. At last count, he has visited some 52 countries, and is now living in Singapore. He's always in search of fascinating routines to exploit, within the edges of after-office hours and (un)limited holidays.